The Point of No Return
by Lily-Starbuck
Summary: Based off rumours about the season finale... I own nothing. Reviews are my candy.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys. New fic from me, based of spoilers for the season finale... I own nothing. Enjoy.

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Grave shift supervisor Catherine Willows exited her car, offering a brief smile at the uniformed officer she passed as she ducked under the yellow crime scene tape.

"What do we have Ray?" she asked her partner for the evening, Dr Ray Langston.

"Looks like half a body dump," he replied, not looking up from the arrangement of body parts that he was currently photographing.

Catherine's eyebrow quirked up. "Half?"

Ray nodded, finally turning his attention to her. "Looks like we have a couple of vital organs, a foot and what looks to be a section of the ribcage." He paused briefly. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Catherine glanced around, peering inside the half open door of the warehouse.

"Looks like Dr Jekyll is trying to get our attention again."

"Has the warehouse been cleared?"

Ray nodded, gesturing towards the officer loitering just inside the tape.

Catherine crouched down, opening her field kit and was in the process of slipping on a pair of gloves when a strange sound caused her head to snap up. Her eyes widened in horror as they fell upon the crumpling form of the officer, the back of his skull now nothing more than a gaping crater.

"Ray! Get down!"

He began to comply, but another muffled pop resonated in the air and he cried out in pain, clutching at his left shoulder.

"Oh my God, Ray!" She moved towards him, but her progress was halted as she felt two large hands grab her from behind, yanking her to her feet. Catherine tried to struggle but was easily overpowered; a split second later she felt an electric jolt pass through her body that caused her legs to buckle beneath her. The last thing she saw was Ray's injured form laying a few feet away, before a second electrical charge sent her hurtling into unconsciousness.

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Come on, it wouldn't be my fic if there wasn't a cliffhanger hehe.  
Lily  
-x-


	2. Chapter 2

Ok. So that cliffie was kind evil... Here's chapter 2... *ducks out to hide*

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Catherine's head was pounding and she was cold. Slowly she opened her eyes, turning her head slightly to survey her surroundings.

The room was dimly lit, the bulbs casting an eerie, blue-ish glow over the metal walls. She tried to sit up but was unable to move. It took her a few moments to realise that her arms and legs were chained to the corners of the metal table on which she lay.

But it was Catherine's second realisation that chilled her to the bone; someone had stripped her down to her underwear. Before her mind could ponder this fact and its ramifications anymore, a soft groan to her left diverted her attention.

"Ray?" her voice was hoarse, making her wonder briefly how long she'd been unconscious. The only answer she received was a strangled, wet sounding moan that caused her blood to run cold.

Catherine craned her neck round. After a few moments of struggling a second metal table came into her line of sight. She gasped loudly, bile rising in her throat, threatening to spill from her mouth as her stomach lurched and heaved, her mind struggling to comprehend the image before her.

She could make out Ray's form, shackled to the table in a similar fashion to herself. An IV pole stood next to the head of the table, a heart monitor just to the side of it. Now she was aware of it, she could make out the low hum of the ventilator that had been placed in the gap between them.

Taking a deep breath to try and tempter her nausea, Catherine's gaze followed the line of tubing that ran from the ventilator to Ray's mouth.

A neat Y-incision had been made through the flesh of his chest, the skin peeled back like a bed sheet. His ribs were missing, placed in a pile between his shackled ankles, and allowing Catherine a glimpse at the pink organs that still remained inside the cavity, his heart pulsating in a steady rhythm.

Her eyes moved back to his face, locking with his brown ones. A single tear trickled down his cheek, mirrored by one of her own. The sensory and emotional overload of seeing him like this caused Catherine to lose her hard fought battle against the nausea that had plagued her since waking. White hot bile burned her throat and gushed from her open mouth, coating the edge of the table then dripping and pooling on the floor beneath.

"Oh Ray," she choked out. "I'm so sorry." Tears flowed down her cheeks, sobs wracking her body in place of the heaves, filling the silence of the room until, exhausted, she slipped from consciousness once more.

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I'm seriously worried about my mental health now...  
Lily  
-x-


	3. Chapter 3

Okay guys. Here's chapter three. Thanks so much for all your reviews!  
Quick warning, if you're just about to eat while reading this, you may want to rethink that...  
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The next thing Catherine became aware of was something lightly touching her cheek.

"Tony?" she mumbled groggily, blinking a few times before she finally focussed. But instead of being greeted by the blue/green eyes of her lover, these eyes were wild and grey, peering out at her from above a surgical mask. In an instant the events of the past few hours came flooding back to her.

"Sorry to disappoint you Catherine, Detective Vartann isn't here. It's just you and me… oh, and Ray, although there's no telling how much longer he'll be with us." The voice was deep and slow, amusement evident in the last few words.

"Dr Jekyll."

He chuckled at this, using one latex covered finger to trace the line of her cheekbone and causing her to shudder involuntarily.

"I have to admit I was rather impressed with that nickname, that was until I discovered Dr Langston bestowed it upon me."

"What do you want? Why don't you just let us go? Neither of us have seen your face, we couldn't possibly identify you." Dr Jekyll laughed cruelly.

"Now now Catherine, that would spoil my fun wouldn't it? And I haven't even started with you yet." He shifted his hand to her neck, running his fingers down the length of it, over her sternum and abdomen, coming to rest by her belly button. "Such a beautiful body," he murmured. "The things I could do with it…"

After a moments contemplation he straightened, removing his hand from her skin.

"But I'm getting ahead of myself. No use moving on to dessert when I've barely even started the main course." He winked at her then turned, heading back to finish what he had started with Ray.

Stepping up beside the table holding the prone man's body, Dr Jekyll let his eyes wander over what he had accomplished so far. Picking up a scalpel and a cauterising torch from the instrument tray he began to work.

"I want you to pay attention Catherine," he said softly as a small puff of smoke emanated from the torch. "I've never had an audience before, I do so hope you enjoy the show." Moments later his hands slid into Ray's body, scooping the large and small intestines out, holding them up and giving Catherine ample opportunity to view them. Her only response was to gag and close her eyes.

Dr Jekyll chuckled softly as he moved to Ray's head, arranging the reams of flesh around his neck like a scarf. Returning once more to the open cavity he glanced at Catherine, noting her eyes were still closed.

"You need to watch my dear, you're depriving me of this new found element of my enjoyment." The strawberry blonde on the other table shook her head violently. Dr Jekyll's eyes narrowed. "You will open your eye now, or I will disconnect Dr Langston's ventilator. You will be responsible for his death. Can you live with that Catherine?"

Tense seconds passed before she complied, her watery blue orbs fixing on his form.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered. Dr Jekyll regarded her for a moment.

"Because I can."

*

A short while and several bouts of dry heaving from Catherine later, Dr Jekyll stood back, admiring his masterpiece. Ray's abdominal cavity had been stripped bare, save for his lungs and heart, the last things keeping him alive. The offal he'd removed had been arranged with great care over Ray's limbs and head; his liver and spleen had been placed over his hips, a kidney rested in each hand while the stomach had been opened out and rested over Ray's head like a towel.

"Please, please stop," Catherine choked out as he disappeared from her view for a second, only to return carrying a small wooden crate, tiny holes dotting the lid and sides.

"Oh but my dear, I'm not quite finished," he replied, the smile evident in his voice. She eyed the crate warily as he set it down between Ray's knees and removed the lid. Reaching in, he carefully removed the contents.

"Oh my God!" Catherine sobbed as he placed his cargo into Ray.

"Don't worry," Dr Jekyll stated airily, arranging each snake carefully, making sure they all fit. "They've been tranquilized."

Satisfied that everything was in place, he pulled the flaps of Ray's skin closed and began sewing the incision shut.

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure how long that will last."

Catherine couldn't contain the piercing scream of terror that emanated from somewhere deep within her, echoing off the walls of the makeshift slaughter house. As she screamed it occurred to her; she would probably die here.

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I'm a sick little puppy I know. Oh and look, another cliffhanger... *runs and hides*  
Lily  
-x-


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys. Sorry this has taken me so long, but uni has been nuts. Thankfully, only one more exam and I'm done for good YAY! Also, Bette was being such a pain I fired her and got myself a new muse, KC. Quick word of warning, if you're eating, or are squeamish, you might want to bypass this chapter...

A while later, Catherine closed her eyes and swallowed; her throat was sore from screaming but in her mind she needed to maintain her ability to cry out for help; it was the only weapon she still possessed, the one thing he hadn't robbed her of.

"You know, I think I like you better when you're quiet."

She gasped and turned her head to the side, coming face to face with Dr Jekyll once more. His eyes crinkled; he was obviously smiling beneath the stark white surgical mask, and the mere mental image of that smile chilled Catherine to the bone.

He moved to stand next to the table upon which she was bound, one hand caressing her long strawberry blonde hair, the other gripping tightly to a scalpel and a section of plastic tubing. She shifted her head, attempting to escape from his fingers but they wound tightly round the silky strands, yanking her back towards him and causing her to cry out in pain.

"There's no use trying to escape me Catherine. You're mine now, and I will do with you whatever I see fit." Using his free hand, he drew the blunt edge of the scalpel down her body, from her throat to her pelvis then back up, eliciting a shudder from the woman under his control.

"Please…" she choked out, inwardly cursing the weak edge that permeated her voice. "You don't have to do this."

He barked out a laugh, the sound echoing tinnily around the room.

"You're right, I don't have to do this," he replied, reaching above her head to retrieve three leather straps. "Unfortunately for you, I enjoy my work."

Her eyes widened as he placed one of the straps across her forehead, securing each of the ends to the edges of the table. Catherine moved her head around, trying to slip free but the strap held firm. Wordlessly he fastened the second strap over her chin, rendering her head completely immobile.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he snapped the final strap into place, pinning her shoulders down.

"I told you, I prefer it when you're quiet. Besides, this will go a lot more smoothly if you can't move."

Reaching down he grasped the skin of her throat with one hand, pulling it taught as the blade of the scalpel sliced through, leaving a thin ribbon of bright red blood in its wake. Catherine's mouth fell open, a near hysterical scream filling the air; her entire neck felt as though it were on fire, the pain was unbearable. A small hiss of air and the abrupt halt of his victim's cries signalled to Dr Jekyll that he had cut deep enough to penetrate the trachea. Using one finger to keep the incision open, he grasped the plastic tube in his other hand. Lining it up carefully, he pushed it between the flaps of skin until the plastic ridge lay flat against the hollow of her throat, before inflating the balloon cuff to ensure it wouldn't move around inside her trachea and finally taping it securely into place.

"There." He took a step back, eyes trailing over her bloody neck and admiring his handiwork. "Now you can't scream anymore." Catherine opened her mouth, desperate to prove him wrong, but nothing happened; the tube providing air to her lungs completely bypassed her vocal cords, allowing no sound to be created.

Dr Jekyll laughed evilly as a single tear slipped from her eye. He'd robbed her of her last defence; she had nothing left.

His laughter subsided suddenly and he grasped the bloody scalpel tighter, moving to stand beside her hip. Grabbing two more leather straps he secured them tightly over the middle of her stomach and her thighs.

He turned his head slightly, meeting her terrified blue eyes with his own.

"If you thought that hurt Catherine, it was nothing compared to the pain you're about to feel."

Those were the last words he spoke before she felt the sharp sting of his blade carving through the skin, tissue and muscle of her lower abdomen. Catherine closed her eyes and bit down hard on her lip, tears streaming down her face as he opened her up. The sensation of his hands moving inside her body sent fresh waves of pain and nausea rushing over her as she struggled to stay conscious.

Minutes dragged by like days as he worked. Every time Catherine slipped into unconsciousness he would revive her.

"I want you awake for all of this Catherine," he would tell her, before resuming his task. A few more motions of his scalpel later and he removed his hands, placing a pile of flesh into a bucket next to his feet.

"There, we're almost done now." He retrieved a suture kit from a shelf and returned to Catherine's prone body. "All I need to do is close you back up."

Once the final suture was in place, Dr Jekyll moved himself back up til he was level with Catherine's head. The agony of the procedure had left her brain dull and swimming, making it difficult for her to focus on his tersely whispered words.

"Tell me Catherine. Do you think Tony will still love you, still want you, once I've taken everything that makes you a woman?" His scalpel hand sliced through the air, bringing the tip of the blade down to rest upon the swell of her left breast. She closed her eyes, another wave of pain and nausea washing over her, forcing her to yield to the approaching darkness, and slip into the blissful release of unconsciousness.

*recorded message* Lily is in hiding, but feel free to leave a review for her to read once she thinks it's safe to return.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

New update for this fic. Enjoy.

Detective Tony Vartann slipped behind the wheel of his car, shutting the door and removing his tie, tossing it onto the seat next to him. Two funerals in a week had left him drained. Both had been difficult, uniting the entire Police Department and Crime Lab.

He sighed deeply and rubbed his red rimmed eyes, glancing down at the smiling faces from the orders of service in his lap. He leaned back and closed his eyes, Ray's face disappearing to be replaced by fresh images, images that had been plaguing him for the past three weeks.

He was back in that room, the coppery smell of blood thick in the air as he advanced, gun drawn towards the table on which her broken body rested. Her piercing blue eyes, their colour dulled, were wide with pain and terror, seeming to plead with him to help her.

For the first time in his 20 year police career, Tony had been forced to leave the scene to throw up. He'd barely managed to clear the tape before he'd vomited, painful retches and heaves mingling with heartrending sobs in the cool night air.

Now, as dusk fell over the cemetery and the other mourners had long since left, Tony remained. This entire case had exhausted him, both physically and emotionally; his mind still struggled to comprehend the brutality of the slayings, as well as the complete lack of mercy exhibited by the executioner.

_Sometimes I hate this job_, he thought, putting the car into gear and driving off into the night.

I know it's short, but all will be made clear in the next chapter... Maybe  
Lily  
-x-


	6. Chapter 6

Ok... Finally came up with a way to finish this fic...

Lou Vartann pulled up against the curb and shut off the engine. Taking a deep breath he exited his vehicle and slammed the door shut, the sound resonating through the cold night air. Walking forward, he crossed the street and pushed against the wrought iron gate, the squeaking of the hinges the only sound that permeated the oppressive silence.

He strode on, memory his only compass as he rounded the bleak stone markers til he spotted the purpose for his visit. Another minutes walk and he was there, standing like a statue beside her eternal resting place. His steely grey eyes scanned the words, chiselled into granite to remain for all eternity -

_Catherine Willows_

_March 23__rd__ 1962 - October 5__th__ 2010_

_Beloved mother, sister, daughter, friend. _

As he reread the words that marked her final resting place, he could slowly feel the last of his resolve crumble. Tears sprang to his eyes and trickled down his cheeks; he barely noticed their presence as long restrained words bubbled to his lips, spilling like lava from a dormant volcano:

"I don't want to be here. Seeing your name carved into that stone is like the final straw… I finally have to admit to myself that you're gone… You're never coming back. I wish I could just close my eyes and magic everything away; I would be able to wake up in the morning with you in my arms, I could kiss you and hold you close, knowing that I'm able to spend the rest of my life with you…" He drew in a shaky breath. "But I can't. I'm never going to see your smile again, hear your laugh, run my fingers through your hair. And the acknowledgement of that fact rips my heart out of my chest…. I never expected to find love at this point in my life, but I did, and I'm thankful that I found you, and you let me love you for however brief a period." His fingers lightly brushed the indentations that made up her name before finally resting atop the cold granite.

"I will always love you Catherine Willows, no matter how long we're meant to be apart, I know that somewhere you're waiting for me, and I'm counting down the days til I get to hold you in my arms again."

EL FIN  
*runs to hide for an undisclosed period of time*... *shouts* Reviews are always good...  
Lily  
-x-


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